Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-23
ARMOR- ANDrGUN-sTEEL.
secretary whitney Well Pleased
with the Bids for Its Production.

Shy telegraph 70 the Dispach.I
WASHINGTON, March 22.-Bids were
opened at noon to-day in the Office of
the Secretary of the Navy for 1910
tons steel Pun-forgings and 1880 tons
steel armor-plate for the completion of
the vessels now under construction by
the Department. The bids for the
1910 tons steel gun-forgings We're as
follows: Cambria Iron Company,
SSjl, 513.90; Midyale Steel Company,
81. 1897, 240; Bethlehem Iron Company,
500. $50. 70. For the steel armor-plate
of about 1900 tons there were but two
bids, "a follows : Bethlehem Iron Com
pany, 50, go, 707 50; Cleveland Rolling
Mill Company, S4,021, $50. The pro
posals of the Bethlehem Company
were accompanied with memorandum
stating that the prices named were
based on the conditions set out in the
advertisement of August 2lst last The
company AYERS that their bids cover
both the armor-plate and gun-forging,
and should, therefore, receive prefer
cnce, all things being equal.
Secretary Whitney expressed himself
as greatly pleased with the result of the
bidding for the production in this coun-
try of amor and gun-steel. lie SAID
There are only two bidders to pro
duce the amor but the bid OF the
Bethlehem Company is as good as fifty
II is from as good a company as there Is
in the United States, and the prices
named are very low. 1t is of very little
consequence now that the fortiications
bili failed in the last Congress. The
first thing needed for the Notifications
and navy is plant to make armor- and
gun-steel. 1t takes two and a half
wears to erect it. 1t costs couple of
millions. The result OF this bidding
secures il. Ii occurred to me last
July that, instead Of contracting
out our new armored ships in
the usual way, the contractor
TO buy the armor Tin which case 1t
would all have been purchased abroad),
put together the armor for all of
them and all the gun-steel required for
their armament TO see ii that wonld not
induce responsible party to undertake
the work III this country. j put
the time for bidding after the
adjournment of Congress so as
to ave the benefit of broader
plan if the bill on Notifications should
bc passed. It's failure was q disap-
pOintment, but it has resulted all right,
and The best Of all is that the prices are
not above what the contractor would
have had TO pay for the same armor
bought abroad and laid down here,
duties paid, under our laws. SO that
the additional cost 10 us IS nothing,
and We will have plant in this country
adequate 10 our needs. Nothing has
occurred in my time here OF equal
consequence 10 the new navy; that ~
the way in which look at it. Yon will
find il treated of in my last report.
The subject has also been considered
10y two boards specially appointed
and two committees Of Congress. The
Gun-Foundry Poard and the Board on
Fortifcations, the Hawley committee
Of the Senate. and tue Randall commit
tee each made elaborate Investigations
of the subject. II has been made to
seem 10 be too big question. Con-
gress shrunk from the enormous ex-
peuditures suggested. A little thing
has solved it after all. The Bethlehem
Ion Company is one OF the very largest
and best OF our steel.works